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Articles Tagged ‘Onsen’

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The Yurari Onsen Experience

Sunday, June 10th, 2007

Mihye and I spent the next few days relaxing in the mountains.  With the exception of a few clear hours that we had to climb Koyodai for sunset, it poured rain the whole time we were there.  It was actually very pleasant to have no agenda and simply spend our time talking, eating Naoko’s delicious food and imbibing cheap wine we brought from Tokyo.   All this free time also allowed us a perfect evening to fully enjoy Yurari.  I’ve been there before and mentioned this onsen in previous posts, but it never really got the attention it deserves…    [read on]

A Walk in the Park II: Yoyogi-Koen

Saturday, May 26th, 2007

Since the internet café didn’t have a shower this time I started my day heading to Roppongi to find a cheap sento (public bath only… not a full fledged onsen) recommended by Lonely Planet.  The ¥400 sento turned out to be closed, so I broke down and used the upstairs onsen for an outrageously expensive ¥1280!  

I was even more surprised to find that this place was an overpriced dump, unlike the elegant onsen I found in Yamanashi!  The faucets hardly worked; if it wasn’t spitting out scalding hot or freezing cold water it wasn’t working at all!  The sauna and bath were both unbearably hot.  I couldn’t stand more than a few seconds of it before getting out and regretting the shocking sum I spent to endure this unpleasant experience.  Please heed my advice and avoid the Azubu-Juban onsen like the plague.  It is overpriced, dysfunctional, and if it will give you the worst impression of this sacred part of traditional Japanese culture.   [read on]

Back to work… if you want to call it that

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007

I’ve really been spoiled as backpacker and before that as a freelance musician.  The idea of staying in one spot and working a nine-to-five job terrifies me.  I grudgingly woke up for work on Wednesday and started laboring.  Not very long into it I remembered how much fun the work is, and the good times that would follow hanging out in the café afterwards.    [read on]